What can I do with an American Indian Studies major?

Areas	Employers	Strategies
American Indian Reservation
Administration Health services Education Gaming enterprises Cultural preservations Natural resource management	Tribal councils Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal grant schools Public schools located on reservations Tribal run heath care facilities Casinos Cultural centers	Obtain internship or volunteer positions to gain experience Develop applied skills such as computer expertise, communication, project management, etc. Tribal membership requisite for many positions
Education
Teaching Research Administration	Tribal run child care facilities, Head Start programs, and K-12 schools Universities, colleges and community colleges	Obtain licensure for public school teaching Ph.D. required for most university and college faculty positions M.A./M.S. required for community colleges
Museums
Curators Conservation Research Education	Cultural centers Universities State, federal, or local museums Private museums	Graduate degree typically required Obtain internship or volunteer positions to gain experience
Government
Administration Cultural resource management Surveying Site management Research Museum conservation Program management Urban planning	Federal: Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of Housing and Urban Development Bureau of Land Management Department of Health and Human Services Department of Agriculture Health and Human Services National Park Service Smithsonian Institute U.S. Forest Service State: Historic preservation offices Parks departments	Learn federal or state application procedures Graduate degree generally required
Private Sector
Cultural Resource Management Research	Consulting firms Environmental/engineering companies Firms specializing in archaeological investigation	Field positions require a B.A./B.S. degree and previous field experience Obtain graduate degree to direct field crews
Business
Administration Advertising Human Resources Public Relations Sales/marketing Writing/editing	Business firms Publishers: textbook, magazine, newspaper, book Retail Tribal councils	Develop applied skills such as computer expertise, written and verbal communication, project management, etc. Minor or double major in business Gain experience through internships, volunteer or paid positions
Social Services
Administration Counseling Research	Nonprofit organizations Social service agencies Foundations	Obtain a degree in counseling for therapy positions Seek volunteer and internship positions to gain experience Hone skills in public speaking, writing, and programming

American Indian Studies HomePage

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Portions reproduced with permission from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
CLA Advisement Center; Spring Semester 2001